Bag closure



Dec. 13, 1938. o. E. CHEATHAM BAG CLOSURE Filed May 14, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

Dec.

o. E. CHEATHAM 2,140,104

BAG CLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1956 lily-ff INVENTOR.

ain/f I. v@www Patented Dec. 13, 1938 v4ulsurlazo .STA-Tas PATENT OFFICEsignor to Bagpak, poration of Deia Inc., York, N. Y., a cor- ApplicationMay 14, 1936, Serial No. '19,773

e claims. (o1. 229-62) observe the spools or reels of additional rein-My present invention relates to the formation of bag end closures. Theparticular type of bag is relatively immaterial and may be flat orsquare, and may be pasted, sewn, stapled or of any other type as long asat least' one end is open in order that, the newl closure may be appliedthereto. The invention may be applied to both ends of a valvebag duringits manufacture, or to one end of an open-mouth bag during itsmanufacture, and/or to the opposite end of an openmouth bag after it hasbeen filled. The bag may be a fiat bag comprising two sides only, or maybe a gussetted bag having a relatively rectangular shape when opened orfilled. The bag may consist of one or more plies of the same Amaterialor of various materials in combination. and is of particular utilitywith respect to bags formed of one or more plies of paper.

The closure consists essentially of a binding or sealing tape appliedLover the end of a bag and extending down over its sides, the edges, orat least one edge, of the tape being folded or rolled back upon itselfto form a selvage or bead which is incorporated into a seam closing themouth of the bag and binding the tape to the bag. The seam may consistoftextile stitches, or of metallic staples, orv of other extraneousfastening means passing through the plies ofthe bag. In the preferredform of the invention the seam passes through the selvage edge of thetape, while in another form of the invention the seam passes around theselvage edge of the tape in order that the loops of the stitches or ofthe individual binding members may be reinforced against pulling throughthe walls of the bag. The selvage edge acts not only to reinforce theseam, but acts as a resilient member to take up shock. In both formstheselvage edge assists in blocking the stitch holes against the escapeof dust and ingress of moisture and odors. The tape may consist oftextile material but is preferably formed from heavy kraft paper, andparticularly crinkled kraft paper which is easily bent and which forms avery tough reinforcing and sealing member. The tape may be adhered tothe bag by some type of adhesive or may be held in place only by theseam. 4 g

rlhe object of the invention is to form a strong, seep-proof closure forbags by means of a sealing tape so arranged and applied to the bag as toform a reinforced closure without the need for applying additionalreinforcing strips or cords. The advantages of thepresent invention liefirst, in the savings accomplished due to the elimination of additionalreinforcing members, vand secondly, in the savings eiected by theelimination of expensive mechanism necessary to hold and applyadditional reinforcing members, and thirdly, in assisting the productionof bags by eliminating the necessity for an attendant to forcing membersand to replenish the same from time to time.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description and claims taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like parts are referred to by likenumerals throughout:

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l discloses a preferred form of the invention applied to a portionof one end of a bag, the remainder of the bag being eliminated asunnecessary for clear illustration;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, of a. modied type of closure;

Fig. 4 isa view similar to Fig. 1 showing another form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing that type of closure modifiedin the same manner that Fig. 3 relates to Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a view in section taken along the median line of a formeradapted to form the tape as shown in Figs. 1 or 4; l

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the former with the tape passing therethrough;

Fig. 9 is a schematic representation of the method of applying theclosure to the ends of a. series of bags; and l Figs. 10 to 15,inclusive, a're cross sections taken along lines lll-llLAll-ll, |2-I2,|3|3, |4- l4, |5-I5, respectively, of Fig. 8.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is disclosed a bag consisting of a front wall20 and a rear wall 2| c01- lapsed upon an infolded gusset 23 whereby toform a gusseted bag. A tape 24, preferably of crinkled kraft paper, isfolded longitudinally over the open end of the bag, or of one or bothends of the blank forming the bag. 'I'he edge of the tape is folded backupon itself,v preferably twice as shown, and a seam 21 is passed throughthe folded portion and the plies of the bag. Each loop of the stitches,or each individual staple, is therefore reinforced by three thicknessesof tape which prevent the seam from tearing through the walls of thebag. The corrugations of the tape and the folds thereof likewise act toabsorb shocks upon the seam, thereby increasing its effectiveness. v

As seen in Fig. 2, the preferred form of seam is provided by a thread 28passing through the folded edge portions on each side of the bag. Acommon type of stitch is known as double chain stitch, in which, on therear side of the seam, the loops of the needle thread 28 are chainedinto loops of a looper thread 29. It has been found that the looper sideof the seam is ordinarily strong enough for most purposes, hence asshown in Fig. 3, it will sufllce in many instances to omit the foldededge from the looper side and merely roll the front edge of the tape. Inthis instance, the tape is preferably adhered to the walls of the bag,especially on the rear or looper side. It is to be realized, of course,that the tape may likewise be adhered to the bag the form shown in Fig.2.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a portion ofa bag consisting of a front wall20' and a rear wall 2l' collapsed upon a gusset 23'. A tape 24 isapplied over the mouth of the bag, and in this instance its edges arerolled into as tight a roll as possible, as indicated at 30. A seam 3l,preferably consisting of stitching, is appliedover the rolled edge. Theapplication of the stitching may be done by moving the needle from sideto side of the rolled edge, but it is more advisable to move the rollededge alternately from side to side of a needle traversing the same pathat each stitch. Each loop of the thread passes about the rolled edge 30,which not only prevents the seam from tearingv throughthe bag, but actsas a shock absorber.

In theform of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the opposite edges of thetape are rolled and the stitching 3| passes about both rolls. It isapparent that the needle penetrates only two thicknesses of the tape andthe walls of the bag, thereby permitting the use of lighter sewingmachinery than would be necessary to stitch through a folded selvageedge. In Fig. 6, wherein the double chain stitch form of seam isdisclosed, only the front or needle side of the tape is rolled to form arolled edge 30 and the rear side of the tape is laid flat against theside of the bag, 4this side of the seam depending upon the looper thread32 for its additional strength. In both Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the closuremay be additionally secured to the bag by an adhesive.

The means for forming the rolled or folded edge of the tapeare-disclosed in Figs. 7 to 15 inclusive, the exact former illustratedbeing designed preferably to form a folded edge as in Fig. l. It is tobe appreciated that slight modification might be necessary to form arolled edge of as many turns as illustrated in Fig. 5, but that a rollededge would be formed by the type disclosed. As the tape emerges from theformer it can be flattened by the usual throat plate and presser foot ofa sewing machine, or can be retained in rolled form by mechanismdesigned to apply the overseam of Fig. 4.

VThe former consists of two plates 40 and 4I spaced from each other adistance sufficient to permit relatively free movement of a tapetherethrough but close together so as to prevent buckling of the tapealong its central portion. The two plates are amxed together along theiredges and the lower plate is rolled upon itself as illustrated. Bothplates are bent along the median line of the former in order that a flattape coming from its source of supply will not only have its edgesformed as illustrated, but will be bent into U-shape to be applied tothe end of a bag which is progressed through the former beneath thelower plate I0.

In Fig. 9 there is diagrammatically illustrated a tape 24, supplied froma roll 45, entering the former. The former is so mounted with respect tothe ends of a series of bags progressed relative thereto as to positionthe former tape upon the end of the bag. 'Ihe bag may, of course, be intubular form during its manufacture, or may be illled and progressedalong a conveyor in the manner disclosed in the copending application ofRobert N. Cundall and Lincoln A.V Cundall, Serial No. 688,816, ledSeptember 9, 1933. Adjacent the end of the former is positioned aseam-forming mechanism adapted to apply a seam such as the seam 21,shown in Fig. 1. Adhesive-applying mechanism may be interposed betweenthe roll 45 and the former as disclosed in the aforesaid copendingapplication.

As seen ,in Fig. 8, the tape 24 may be treated during the process ofslitting and reeling a large sheet of material, by creasing it as at 50in order that the bending or rolling may be more easily accomplished,and may likewise be treated by crushing or otherwise lweakening the samealong the lines of bending or folding as indicated at 5I in order thatthe vtape will easily follow the sha of the former. v

The invention comprises in all its forms a closure consisting of asealing tape, having at least one edge turned back to form a reinforcingselvage included in a seam.

Modifications and alterations will be apparent to those skilled in theart and the true scope of my invention is only to be determined by thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A bag having'a closure comprising a sealing tape over the end of thebag, said-tape havingl at least one edge turned back upon itself aplurality of times toform a reinforcing selvage, and a seam passingthrough the` walls of the bag and including said selvage. y

2. A bag having a closure comprising a sealing tape over the end of thebag, said tape having at least one edge turned back upon itself aplurality of times t'o form a reinforcing selvage, and a seam passingthrough the walls of the bag and the reinforcing selvage.

3. A bag having a closure comprising a seal- Y ing tape over the endofthe bag, said tape having through the walls of the bag and including fsaid bead.

4. A bag having a closure comprising a sealing tape over the end of thebag, said tape having at least one edge turned back upon itself aplurality of ytimes to form a reinforcing selvage, and stitches passingthrough the walls of the bag and the reinforcing selvage.

5. A bag having a closure comprising a sealing tape over the end of thebag, said tape having at least one edge rolled back upon itself aplurality of times to form a bead, and stitches passing through theWalls of the bag, the loop of each stitch passing around said bead.

6. A tape for forming a reinforced bag closure comprising-a strip ofcrinkled kraft paper having score lines adjacent to and parallel to itsedges, and having weakened portions between said score lines, said scorelines facilitating the rolling of said edges back upon themselves toform a bead and said weakened portions facilitating the folding of saidstrip into closure formation.

ORME E. CHEATHAM.

